There are several differences, which any given person might find more appealing.
Pro offers:
- Better processing power
- Better sound (more speakers)
- Better resolution cameras (about +4MP on both)
- Thinner (1.4 mm)
- Lighter (.04 lbs)
- Higher storage capacity
- Pencil & Keyboard (the ipad smart KB, bluetooth should work on both) support
And possibly the non-pro does not have P3 wide color gamut support?
If I was buying one for a family member I would buy the iPad, not the pro unless I specifically knew they needed one of these features—of which, the keyboard and pencil support seem most probable, cameras probably second.
Personally, I have the pro with the keyboard and pencil, and I love it for most day to day use. I have not yet tried to code on it, but I am dubious that I will ever be able to rely on it as my primary/only computing device. However, for meetings, classes or speaking engagements I find it highly versatile and fits a niche my laptop never would.
